times are getting difficult, school is picking up, weather is acting out, and a lot of our lives are getting really busy again!
a lot of us including myself are just trying to stay afloat so i though i would write a little advice piece on how to keep the momentum since right around now is when we begin to lose it.
- keep an organized schedule
- don’t dwell
- *prioritizing*
- reframing
these are my most important pieces of keeping my energy!
AN ORGANIZED schedule, whether it’s on google calendar or paper, will be helpful to visualize how your days are mapped out. it can keep you up to date on due dates and activities coming up. i honestly recommend having your planner on electronics and written because i feel like it depends on my day which i find more helpful. i use all the different colors on google calendar along with lots of different highlighters and pens for my planner. this keeps me excited and looking forward to what i have coming up.
#2 is an important piece of advice. i had a rough time last year and it started around fall and as the weather got colder. i am stressing myself out thinking that it will happen again. who am i to sit here and actively ruin my own time. actually be so for real. it is a waste of my time and taking up headspace that could be used for so much better. you are just using your own mental as a scapegoat to hold you back, where this year we can all truly excel!! you are the only person to be able to get you out of whatever you are going through, yes we can have a supportive community but we must know what is best for us. so stop dwelling and overthinking, instead shift it to growth and reflection! you can reflect on the past but don’t waste your time stressing or regretting what can no longer be changed.
prioritization. prioritization. prioritization,
such a tough skill to learn. i recently heard
procrastination simply means poor prioritization
and wow. put so simply that it all just clicked in.
as times seem to become more difficult we need to remember the importance of balance. it is such an important factor of life, being able to balance all these different aspects whether it be academics, clubs, social life, jobs, or so much more. we all have so much on our plates. make sure to throw things you love into your schedule, anyway that you can. you could make time to call a family member or friend or make your favorite meal. but with this idea comes the importance of your not so fun things… studying isn’t the most fun but it is most definitely needed (i’m saying this as a college girl that doesn’t want to study for a midterm.) with prioritization i often think of balance too. it is so important to balance out prioritizing happiness along with success, so to put it simply we win some and we lose some, in a way. we have to take the good with the bad. we have to do the difficult things, but don’t let that over take your life!! remember to stop and smell the roses:)
to add onto prioritization
i recently was reminded to reframe my personal issues and it reminded me of my favorite phrase
we get to
as the winter comes and we get more tired, our chores and needs start to pile up. but in my personal life the idea of “we get to” pushes me forward. i was taught this while volunteering for my relay for life, an American cancer society fundraiser. and it put everything into perspective. some people can’t do what i am lucky enough to do. we all have different situations but i am taking my life and making the most of it. because i get to.
listen i don’t always love going to class or studying but i am blessed to be able to go to a beautiful college and enroll in these classes, i get to go here and get this education. the same idea goes for so many other tasks like work. i am blessed to have earned my internship!!! and yeah some days i’m tired or stressed at work but i get to and this also goes for my love hate relationship with the gym. i am able to move my body, i am blessed to have a gym membership.
it is truly all about a mindset shift.
here are some things that are helpful when we need a step back to be able to keep going!
- journaling
- sleep!!
- balanced diet
- comfort media
- faith/ spirituality
journaling, just to get things off your chest and out of your mind. you don’t have to be a good writer which is such a big stigma around journaling. just writing. let it out. word vomit onto a page for 5 to 10 minutes and let yourself breathe.
sleep is so so so important. i struggle with this so much. i love to stay up for no reason. but sleep truly makes such an incredible difference. you feel so much more prepared to take on your next day. it is also so good for your mental wellbeing, it gives you time to recharge! i always use the cop out of “i work better at night” so that is actually called procrastination. you will thank yourself for doing what you need to do in the day and getting more sleep, i promise you.
a balanced diet. your food is your energy source!!! i’m actively trying to eat healthier because when i do, i feel the difference in my energy and how i feel overall, emotionally and physically. but when i say balanced i mean balancing out the happy and healthy food. do not force yourself to hide away from “bad stuff” eat the ice cream you’ve been craving. you deserve it. but make sure to have your veggies too:)
comfort movies and shows can save you. rewatch your favorite movie, mine’s good will hunting by Gus van sant!! you can watch something new if that’s what excites you but sometimes we all need the comfort of knowing the ending and seeing our favorite characters. carve some time out of your day and just let yourself decompress with a movie and popcorn, let yourself relax!
lastly, faith. whatever you believe in! make sure to focus in on it, even if you don’t believe in anything, just meditate! give yourself time to sit with whatever you see as a higher power. and just be. let your mind clear itself. whether it’s listening to a specific type of music like worship music or meditation sounds. it has helped me recenter and slow things down.
if you have any tips make sure to comment them!!!!
i hope these tips were helpful and i hope you guys remember to keep going!!!
there is so much excitement in store:)
thank you for reading!! love ya:)